The Island Union of CCOO has made "a call for coherence and responsibility to all the companies on the island that currently maintain their work activity" in Lanzarote and has denounced the situation that is being experienced in some sectors, and in particular in hotels and apartment complexes. "They are allowing guests to continue carrying out leisure and recreation activities within their facilities, exposing not only their workers, but also the rest of the population who are confined to their homes out of social conscience," the union warns.
In this regard, Comisiones Obreras states that "most of the hotels have their bars, cafeterias or swimming pools open, with staff exposing themselves to possible infections, without the necessary measures to protect themselves effectively from a possible coronavirus infection."
For this reason, they urge hotel managers to "on the one hand, comply with their duty to protect their workers and, on the other hand, with their responsibility to the rest of society," proceeding to close non-essential services within the hotel. For those issues of necessity within the hotel, such as food itself, the union proposes that "measures be established to minimize exposure, such as schedules for small groups in the dining room, or room service, thus relocating the workers who are left without activity."
Work "without guarantees" in many sectors
Regarding the commercial companies that are allowed to operate because they offer essential services, CCOO recalls that "they must also take preventive measures to guarantee the safety and health of workers and the rest of society, establishing mechanisms that guarantee safety distance, the supply of barrier equipment and the concentration of customers."
In addition, it emphasizes that "similar measures should be taken in the airport's auxiliary service companies that must continue to carry out their work until other more drastic measures are determined." They refer to surveillance, cleaning, passenger service or baggage companies, which denounce that "due to their usual dynamics they have been making their work more precarious and leaving aside the prevention of occupational risks, so they do not have the necessary prevention measures to carry out their work with the greatest guarantees."
To these groups they also add "activities that continue to be carried out, such as construction works, street cleaning, urban solid waste collection and selective collection, gas stations, mechanical workshops and banks. "Companies must guarantee the safety and health of the workers of each of these companies," CCOO demands.
Finally, the union points out that another group that "worries" it are the workers of companies that do not carry out an activity included among those prohibited by the decree approved by the central government, and who have no option to telework. "It is worrying that many are working behind closed doors without complying with minimum prevention measures for their employees. There have been dozens of calls received in the union showing their great concern about this situation, arguing that it is useless to be locked up at home in their free time and exposing themselves to the virus during their working day, where dozens of workers are concentrated. In these cases, companies have to guarantee the safety and health of workers, taking the necessary organizational measures so that they do not suffer any damage. If there is neither physical space to ensure minimum distances, adequate ventilation or necessary prevention material, the duty to protect workers is not being fulfilled," he warns.
